Chrystia Freeland’s office says the purpose of the visit is “to discuss the deteriorating situation” in Cuba’s ally Venezuela, as well as tightened U.S. sanctions on Cuba.

The Canadian statement says: “It is of critical importance that our two countries meet to discuss the economic, political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and the work we can undertake together to address it.”

Meanwhile, Cuba’s first vice minister of foreign relations was in Norway Tuesday and Wednesday as part of what his office called a tour of Scandinavian countries.

Venezuelan opposition figures said Tuesday that government and opposition figures are holding talks in Norway on a possible way to end the country’s power struggle.

The Venezuelan government and opposition have sent envoys to Norway to attend talks on ways of ending the South American country’s crisis, though their mutual mistrust and differences on key issues are likely to slow chances of progress.

The development reported by officials Wednesday appears to reflect a recognition that neither side has been able to prevail in the struggle for power. That’s left Venezuela in a state of paralysis after years of hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine.

It’s also a policy reversal for the opposition, which has accused President Nicolás Maduro of using previous negotiations to play for time.

Members of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled congress say senior members of both sides will be involved in the exploratory discussions in Oslo.